In any case, don't fall into the false proposition that "wildlife or people are important".
▲Data map: Wild monkeys hurting people are not accidental, and they have repeatedly triggered discussions on how humans and animals can live in harmony. Photo/IC photo
Text | Xu Binrong
Recently, a video of tourists being attacked by wild monkeys in the Wawu Mountain Scenic Area in Sichuan once again aroused heated public discussions about "wild monkeys hurting people".
According to reports, on June 28, Ms. Liu participated in a hiking check-in competition at Hongyawushan Mountain in Meishan, and when she reached the third check-in point, when she walked up alone, more than a dozen monkeys suddenly rushed to her body, scratching and biting her. Ms. Liu said that the whole process lasted more than three minutes, and there were no staff on site, and only later did tourists help drive the monkeys away.
On June 29, the relevant person in charge of Wawu Mountain Scenic Area told reporters that after the incident, the scenic spot carried out emergency treatment for the tourists' wounds, and promised to bear the full medical expenses, and has also paid the medical expenses incurred.
This is not the first time that monkeys have caused trouble. From the macaques in Qianlingshan Park in Guiyang and Emeishan Scenic Area in Sichuan Province to the wild monkeys in Wanning, Hainan Province in April this year, each time it has aroused widespread public discussion.
Why do wild monkeys in scenic spots hurt people?
Wild monkeys injure people not by chance, but by the inappropriate management and response. The reasons behind monkey injuries are complex and diverse, involving biology, ecology, human behavior and psychology, the first is due to the territorial defense behavior of monkeys.
Monkeys are territorially strong and can act aggressively when they sense that their territory is threatened. Access to food resources is an important factor in the formation of their territorial consciousness. If visitors eat or carry food in the vicinity of a group of monkeys, they may be attracted to the monkeys to approach and try to get food, leading to conflicts.
Groups of monkeys that have been in contact with humans for a long time may gradually adapt to the presence of humans and learn to obtain food from humans. Tourists' feeding behavior is a very bad way to develop consciousness, which can cause them to become more bold and aggressive when looking for food.
Moreover, the social structure and hierarchy within the monkey group can lead to competition and conflict between individuals, and sometimes this internal tension can also be transferred to attacks on humans. At the same time, habitat loss or fragmentation could lead to a reduction in food sources for monkey populations, increasing their likelihood of contact and conflict with humans.
In this context, scenic spots, as wildlife reserves and open places for human tourism activities, carry dual roles and responsibilities.
On the one hand, scenic areas have the mission of protecting biodiversity and maintaining the integrity of ecosystems, and the results of ecological protection actions will effectively promote the growth of animal populations.
On the other hand, while meeting the needs of tourists for leisure, education and cultural experience, scenic areas will inevitably compress the activity space of wild animals. It is this overlapping of activity spaces that has repeatedly led to human-monkey conflicts.
For natural landscapes, the conflict between tourists and animals reflects a very broad reality: how to protect the living environment of animals while ensuring the safety of tourists has become an urgent problem to be solved.
In this incident, the management of Wawu Mountain Scenic Area said, "Our scenic spot, like many scenic spots with monkey populations, also has the problem of difficult management of wild monkey groups. They are also protected animals, and even if they want to be removed, they must be reported to the relevant departments for approval before relevant measures can be carried out."
Although this is not a reason to shirk responsibility, to some extent, this statement also illustrates the practical dilemma of the scenic spot in the face of similar problems.
How should the wild monkeys in the scenic area be managed?
For scenic spots with frequent activities of wild animals such as monkeys, from the daily management, targeted regulatory measures should be formulated, and daily patrol supervision should be strengthened. In particular, there is a need to increase patrols in monkey activity areas, monitor the behavior of tourists, and correct behaviors that may lead to conflict in a timely manner.
At the same time, special picnic areas and food storage points are set up in the scenic area to guide tourists to eat in the designated area to reduce the attraction of food to the monkey group. Establish a clear code of conduct for tourists, prohibiting feeding, teasing, and other behaviors that may trigger attacks by monkeys.
In addition, it is also necessary to study the behavior patterns of monkeys to understand their activity patterns and potential threats, so as to provide more accurate safety information for tourists. For some scenic spots with a high probability of conflict, detailed emergency plans should also be formulated, including rapid response procedures for monkey group injuries, measures for the treatment of the injured, and special medical aid stations.
From the perspective of long-term development and management, it is necessary to take corresponding measures to treat the root cause of the scenic spot, which should mainly include ecological protection and restoration. By protecting and restoring the monkeys' natural habitat, human activities will reduce the disturbance of their ecological environment, thereby reducing the chances of the monkeys coming into contact with tourists.
It is also very important to plan the tour area scientifically. Reasonable planning of the tour route and the scope of tourists' activities, and setting up obvious warning signs and isolation measures can prevent tourists from entering areas with frequent monkey activities.
For the wild monkeys in the scenic area, scientific population management should also be adopted. The number of monkeys can be reasonably controlled, and there can be planned quota hunting and driving, so as to avoid food competition and territorial conflicts caused by the excessive number of monkeys.
Of course, tourists should also pay attention to self-protection when entering similar scenic spots. This mainly includes, not feeding wild animals; Do not approach or provoke the monkey group; Dress appropriately and avoid bright or reflective clothing; Stay calm when encountering a group of monkeys and avoid sudden movements; In case of emergency, seek help in a timely manner, etc.
Close contact with the natural world is a valuable experience for people to travel to natural scenic spots. When we go from being enthusiastic about showing friendly contact with animals to having animals hurting people, we should first realize that this is a reflection of the achievements of nature conservation and the progress of ecological concepts.
All living beings, symbiosis and common prosperity. How to reduce the occurrence of incidents like "wild monkeys hurting people" and avoid falling into the false proposition that "wildlife is important or people are important" is the responsibility of nature conservation institutions and workers, including scenic spots, and it is also a matter that needs to be solved by the whole society.
Written by Xu Binrong (Nature Conservationist)
Editor / Chi Daohua
Proofreading / Zhang Yanjun
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